Signal for railway crossings



March 33, 1934. MARCOTTE 1,951,195

SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS Filed Oct. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 13, 1934. MARCOTT 1,951,195

SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed Oct. 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE/VTUE Omar Warcotte fair n ey:

Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITE 1-;

FFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to signals for railway crossings, of the type operated by an approaching or passing train.

The main object of my invention is to provide 5. a railway crossing signal in which the local crossing installation is very simple, due to the fact that the major portion of the system forms part of the locomotive or train.

A second object is to provide a signal system for crossings which will give warning in such a way that one will know the approximate distance from the approaching train to the crossing.

A third object is to provide such a system in which a warning will also show whether the train is approaching the crossing or leaving the same.

A further object is to provide a system which is very elastic in its installation so that there is no limit as to the distance from which the train -v will operate the signal as well as to the distance warning will be given on the road or highway.

A still further object is to provide a system which can be installed in rural districts at little cost, there being no current required locally.

Other objects will become apparent in the description of the signal installed according to my invention, to which are appended drawings wherein- Figure l is a diagram of the signal system;

Figure 2 is a View of the third rail employed;

Figure 3 is an elevation of a suggested signal; and

Figure 4 is an elevation of the contact element.

Similar symbols of reference designate similar parts throughout the views.

It may be said here that the system is electrically operated, signals being by means of lights or bells or both, as desired or required. The electrical current, however, has its source from 4 the engine or any of the coaches of the train so that there is no part of the system which is electrically alive unless a train is approaching or leaving the crossing.

I have contrived an installation which consists in placing main warning lights on each side of the track along the highway or road in approximate ly the same position as the usual railway crossing sign. Further, other light signals are placed either at the usual distance of three hundred feet 50. from the crossing, along the road, but these may be at a more remote point and, if desired, there may be additional light signals at a greater distance from the track. In Figure l, 6 represent the lights close to the track, and 7 the lights which are remote therefrom. For safety, two

(Cl. 246l25) lamps are connected in parallel in each signal, as shown by 8, 8, so that should one burn out or for other cause not glow, the second one will be sufiicient to give the proper signal. As two lamps seldom burn out at the same time, regular inspection oi the system will assure continuous operation of the signals.

All lights are grounded by a wire 9 to the track and their energy is derived through a wire 10, which is interconnected with a third rail 11 along the railroad. This rail 11 is formed of sections 12, as shown, and extends from across the road or highway to a distance on each side thereof of at least half a mile but probably twice that distance. Electrical current is fed to this third rail by connection with the approaching train in a manner hereinafter described.

It will be noted, however, that the sections are interconnected by wires 13 and that they decrease in length according to the distance from the crossing,-for instance, the last section, indicated by 14, is considerably shorter than the larger one; in fact, it may be just a fraction thereof. This arrangement will cause the current to be interrupted as the train passes from one section to another and obviously the period of time during which current flows will vary according to the length of the section over which the train passes. This will show at a glance, by the length of time the lights are illuminated, the exact position of the train, as when it first approaches the crossing a short flash will result, increasing as the train nears the road and decreasing after it has passed over the same, so that one can easily judge whether a train is approaching or receding from the crossing.

In actual installation, a cable may be laid along the side of the railroad to take the place of connections 13, with short wires making connection between the cable and each section of the track, as required. This arrangement is not shown in the drawings but no doubt will be employed in actual use owing to the fact that a cable under the ties would interfere with the proper working of the ballast.

As practically every locomotive is equipped with an electric system for supplying energy to its headlight and also to supply the lamps for illumination of its cab, a special source of electricity will not be required to operate this system. Further, every train has at least one or two cars having their own electrical system for lighting. For this reason, in practically every case a train will not have to be specially equipped with storage batteries or a generator but the mere addition of the contacting element will render the same adaptable to properly operate the signals previously described.

In Figure 1, 15 represents the steam turbine installed on the engine to operate the electric generator 16, and 17 represents the storage batteries, which are usually installed on the coaches along with a generator but without the power unit 15. One pole of this electrical circuit is usually grounded to the engine frame or to the car frame, say by a wire 18, so that contact will be made to the two main rails 19 through the wheels 20, either of the locomotive or of the coaches. The other pole will be connected by a wire 21 to the contacting element 22 positioned underneath the locomotive, tender or coach and centrally thereof so as to come directly over the third rail 11. This contacting element consists of a supporting metal block 23 mounted rigidly to the underframe of the locomotive or coach but properly insulated therefrom. The contact itself is in the form of a metal brush 24 supported by means of double articulations 25 which will allow the brush to move up and down within a certain limit and yet remain perpendicularly in the same plane, as well as present a constant aspect with relation to the third rail with which it comes in contact. By using a brush-type contact, as shown at 24, all jerks will be avoided when meeting the third rail; and further, any foreign matter on the rail will be brushed away, besides assuring a dependable contact at all times. The brush may be raised or lowered simply to bring the same in contact or remove the same from contact with the third rail, should this become necessarg. for any reason. This is done by means of a suitable arrangement of links and rods, not shown in detail, connected to a ratchet lever 26 of conventional type. This lever arrangement will be interconnected with an arm 27 mounted on one of the articulations 25 and will limit the distance to which the brush will be lowered or raised.

In the actual installation of the system, discarded rails may be employed for the third rail as they are only intended for electrical contact and will not have to stand any rolling or wear of any kind. A certain number of these rails may be joined together to form the contacting sections. The sections adjacent the crossing should be possibly three or four hundred feet in length, the other or successive sections on each side of the crossing decreasing in length until the last section is of one rail length. The free end of each section of rail may be bent downwardly, as shown in Figure 2, so that the bent portion will lie between two adjacent ties. This will result in the easy contact of the brush when reaching the same. These rails will be held centrally of the track by means of the usual spikes.

As previously stated, the signal itself may be by means of lights or a bell or both, and a suggested installation is shown in Figure 3, which consists of a standard 28 surmounted by a casing 29 is which the two lamps. not shown, are suitably mounted, the front 30 of which may be of colored glass,in the present case, orange With yellow letters 31 to give any desired indications, such as Stop and R. R. (to represent Railroad). It may also be imprinted with a large "X 32 to indicate at a glance a crossing. These colors, of course, are only suggested as a plain red front may be provided. The bell 33, if employed, would, of course, be of the conventional type. The standard 28 will preferably be of a tubular form so as to allow the entrance of and thereby protect the wires 9 and 10 of the circuit.

My system is, no doubt, of the simplest form, especially adaptable to rural districts where it is in demand. The flickering effect of the signals, caused by the pause between the third rail sections, renders the warning very noticeable and not liable to be misconceived.

While I have described my invention according to the installation shown in the drawings, I wish it to be understood, however, that deviations and alterations with respect to form, position or location of the various elements may be effected to suit various requirements, as well as the application of the same to street cars or the like; and such variations as reversing the progression of the signal l ngths by having the third rail sections close to the crossing increasing progressively according to the distance therefrom may be made and yet fall within the spirit of my invention, as covered by the following claims:

1. In combination with a railway track, a cross ing thereover and a train thereupon, a third rail in sections varying in length on said track positioned over said crossing and extending substantially on both sides thereof, electric signals along said crossing positioned on both sides of said track, said electric signals having one pole connected to said track, the other pole of said elec-' tric signals being connected to the third rail, a source of electrical energy on said train, one pole of said source of energy being connected to the running gear of said train to connect with said track, and means connected to the other pole of said source of energy to contact with the sections of said third rail, thereby forming a circuit resulting in intermittent signals of varying duratiofii on the passing of said train over said third ra 2. In combination with a railway track, a crossing thereover and a train thereupon, a sectional third rail on said" track positioned over said crossing and extending substantially on both sides thereof, the length of its sections decreasing progressively according to the distance from the crossing, electric signals along said crossing positioned on both sides of said track, said electric signals having one pole connected to said track, the other pole of said electric signals being connected to the third rail, a source of electrical energy on said train, one pole of said source of energy being connected to the running gear of said train to connect with said track, and means connected to the other pole of said source of energy to contact with the sections of said third rail, thereby forming a circuit resulting in intermittent signals of varying duration according to the distance from said crossing, on the passing of said train over said third rail.

3. In a train travelling over a railroad track, in combination, an electric conductor parallel with the track and comprising a plurality of aligned, spaced sections of progressively'varying lengths and connections between the adjacent ends of said sections, a source of electrical energy carried by the train, make and break means connected to said source and adapted to engage said conductor as the train proceeds thereover, said connections being spaced from said sections whereby said make and break means engages said sections successively but clears said connections, and an electrically operated signal having one end grounded and the other end connected to said conductor. 0. MARCOTTE. 

